Toshiba Classic - Day Two

AIR FORCE

With several top-eight finishes on the second day of competition, the Air Force men’s swimming team remains in third place at the Toshiba Classic, hosted by UC San Diego at the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool. After a total of 12 events, the Falcons have 608 team points, trailing just second-ranked Stanford (1377.8) and Hawaii (719).
 
Once again, junior Benjamin Gunn (Gainesville, Ga.) was the top individual performer for Air Force, finishing as the runner-up in the 100 backstroke. His time of 49.67 in the finals of the event ranks as the third-fastest in Academy history. Meanwhile, he also posted the Falcons’ fastest time in the 100 butterfly, with a preliminary mark of 49.59, but did not swim in the finals of the event.
 
Also finishing in the top eight of the 100 back was freshman Paul Young (Lakeville, Minn.), who clocked in at 51.35, while two other Falcons—Matt Millikin (Fr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Nathan Erickson (So., Moraga, Calif.) placed ninth and 15th, respectively, in the event.
 
In the 200 free, freshman Jon Jones (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) clocked in with a preliminary time of 1:39.27 before finishing seventh overall. His preliminary mark currently ranks as the sixth-fastest in school history. Meanwhile, also placing in the top 16 were Sean O’Keefe (Sr., Lake Oswego, Ore.) and Eric Robinson (Jr., Lakewood, Colo.) in 11th and 15th place, respectively.
 
Junior Josh Hammervold (Sugar Land, Texas) captured seventh place in the 100 breaststroke, clocking in with a time of 56.67, while Cody Deacon (So., Portland, Ore.) and Greg Edmonds (Sr., Fairfax Station, Va.) placed 11th and 16th, respectively.
 
Meanwhile, in the 400 IM, Tom Hansen (Jr., Berkeley Heights, N.J.) captured eighth place after registering a preliminary mark of 4:00.80. Also placing in the top 16 in the event were Mark Hansen (Fr., Berkeley Heights, N.J.), who finished 10th overall, and Erickson, who took 16th place.
 
The top scorer for Air Force in the 100 butterfly was senior Chris Morin (Crown Point, Ind.), who placed 11th with a mark of 49.80. Also finishing in the top 16 of that event was freshman Anthony Chiaro (Tucson, Ariz.), who placed 15th.
 
Air Force also had strong showings in both of its relay events. In the 800 freestyle relay, the team of Mark Hansen, O’Keefe, Jones and Gunn placed third with a time of 6:45.11. Meanwhile, Gunn, Hammervold, Morin and Chiaro combined for a mark of 1:32.31 in the 200 medley relay to finish fourth in that event.


UC-BERKELEY

California freshman Caitlin Leverenz swam a
school-record time of 4:09.76 in the 400-yard individual medley and the
sixth-ranked Golden Bears remained in second place at the Toshiba Classic
on Friday, the second day of the three-day meet held at the Belmont Plaza
Olympic Pool. Cal has collected 775 points to trail leader Stanford, which
has 1,202.5 points.

Leverenz finished second in the 400 IM behind a meet record from
Stanford’s Julia Smit (4:03.31). Cal senior Heather White was fifth in a
time of 4:17.67. Both Leverenz and White posted NCAA B qualifying times in
the 400 IM. Two more Bears finished in the top 10: senior Courtney Eronemo
was seventh (4:23.33) and sophomore Shelley Harper was 10th (4:22.63).

Cal opened the evening finals by taking third place in the 200-yard medley
relay. The foursome of sophomore Colleen Fotsch, Leverenz, junior Amanda
Sims and junior Hannah Wilson posted an NCAA B qualifying time of 1:42.14
to finish behind Stanford (1:40.05) and San Diego State (1:41.93).

Wilson and Sims had Cal’s best finishes in the 100 butterfly, with Wilson
placing fifth in an NCAA-B time of 53.90 and Sims taking seventh in 54.85.
In the 200 free, Isakovic (3rd, 1:46.49) and senior Lauren Boyle (4th,
1:47.61) had the Bears’ best performances with a pair of NCAA B or NCAA
consideration times. Wilson, who did not swim in the finals, posted an
NCAA consideration time of 1:48.95 in the 200-free preliminary heats.

Former Bear Dana Vollmer, swimming unattached, won both the 100 fly
(52.65) and 200 free (1:45.02) in meet-record times.

Junior Erica Dagg paced Cal in the 100 backstroke, placing 10th in 56.55.

In the night’s final event, the 800-free relay, second-place Cal finished
less than a second behind winner Stanford, 7:08.70-7:09.61. The Bears’
collected an NCAA B qualifying time in the relay.

“We had a really good race in the 800-free relay with Stanford,” Cal coach
Teri McKeever said. “Caitlin swam a school record in the 400 IM, which was
great. Heather White did a really nice job. She also had a real good 400
IM and helped us on relays. Hannah continued to really help us in multiple
events, and Lauren Boyle and Sara Isakovic did real well. Sara swam in the
800-free relay and had a good time in the 200 free. She also swam on the
200-medley relay. We’re trying to swim in as many things as we can.”

Saturday, the third and final day of the Toshiba Classic, will include six
events: the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breaststroke, 200 fly and
400-free relay.

Cal Finalists from Day 2 of Toshiba Classic

200-Yard Medley Relay
3. Cal (Colleen Fotsch, Caitlin, Leverenz, Amanda Sims, Hannah Wilson)
1:42.14*. 26. Cal (Samantha Pearson, Lauren Boyle, Ursula Dailey, Amanda
Larson) 1:46.51.

400-Yard Individual Medley
2. Caitlin Leverenz 4:09.76^*. 5. Heather White 4:17.67*. 7. Courtney
Eronemo 4:23.33. 10. Shelley Harper 4:22.63.

100-Yard Butterfly
5. Hannah Wilson 53.90*. 7. Amanda Sims 54.85. 11. Ursula Dailey 55.43.
16. Colleen Fotsch 55.90.

200-Yard Freestyle
3. Sara Isakovic 1:46.49*. 4. Lauren Boyle 1:47.61*. 13. Liv Jensen
1:50.20. 15. Blake Hayter 1:51.32. 16. Amanda Larson 1:51.85. 25. Sara Sun
1:52.31.

100-Yard Breaststroke
25. Ellie Monobe 1:06.65.

100-Yard Backstroke
10. Erica Dagg 56.55. 16. Colleen Fotsch 58.75. 26. Samantha Pearson 57.92.

800-Yard Freestyle Relay
2. Cal (Hannah Wilson, Lauren Boyle, Liv Jensen, Sara Isakovic) 7:09.61*.
23. Cal (Caitlin Leverenz, Amanda Larson, Heather White, Erica Dagg)
7:24.39.

^School Record
*NCAA B qualifying time


UC-DAVIS

The UC Davis women's swimming team found themselves in 14th place at the conclusion of the second day of competition at the Toshiba Classic in Long Beach, Calif. Friday. The Aggies recorded 117 points to move up three spots in the overall standings.

The 200 medley relay squad of Victoria Pichay, Morgan Lee, Kayleigh Foley and Ashley Chandler started the day with a 13th-place finish and a time of 1:47.87, a season-best time for the Aggies.

Alyssa Britt was UC Davis' top finisher in the 400 individual medley with a season-best time of 4:48.21. Jodi Hanson clocked in at 4:50.28 while Julie Peri finished with a time of 4:52.03.

In the 100 butterfly, Foley finished 46th with a season-best and personal-best time of 57.67. Katelyn Griffin recorded a personal-best time of 58.71 and Jen Cadmus had a time of 59.05.

Linda Hermann clocked in at 1:52.65 in the prelims of the 200 freestyle and then recorded a season-best time of 1:51.83 to finish 20th overall. Bridget Bugbee earned a second swim in the event with a prelim time of 1:54.34. She finished 27th with a final time of 1:53.56, another season-best for UC Davis.

Lee clocked in at a season-best 1:07.45 in the 100 breaststroke to lead UC Davis. Lisa Bender had a time of 1:08.25 while Britt finished with a time of 1:08.59. Hanson and Jenah Dawson recorded times of 1:09.19 and 1:09.21, respectively.

Griffin finished 62nd in the 100 backstroke with an overall time of 1:00.31 while Hermann had a time of 1:00.89 to finish 70th.

In the 800 freestyle relay, Foley, Bugbee, Griffin and Hermann combined for a time of 7:38.94 to finish ninth overall.


STANFORD MEN

Austin Staab was two seconds off his school-record in the 100 butterfly, beating the field with a meet-record 46.31 on the second day of the Toshiba Cup. The Cardinal have dominated the 13-team field winning all 13 events over the first two days.

Staab has won two events (50 free on Thursday and today's 100 fly) and been a part of four winning relays to highlight the Cardinal. Staab continues to hold the school-record in the 100 fly with a time of 44.18.

Opening up the meet, Staab, along with Matt Thompson, Curtis Lovelace and Alex Coville, broke the Cardinal's own 2007 meet record in the 200 medley relay, posting a time of 1:28.30, four-hundredths faster than the previous best. To close out day two, Bobby Bollier, Staab, Aaron Wayne and Rob Andrews posted a "B" standard time of 6:30.31 in the 800 relay, to also lead the field and give Stanford its fourth relay win in four tries.

Freshman Matt Thompson was the first of five Cardinal in the 400 IM, leading the pack with a "B" standard time of 3:51.86. It was Thompson's second win in two days in the individual medley. Andrews won the 200 with a time of 1:37.38, while John Criste won the 100 breast (54.49).

In the 100 backstroke, Eugene Godsoe had the fastest prelim time at 47.84, but was unable to swim in the finals due to back spasms, leading the way for freshman Matt Swanston's leading time of 48.92.

The meet continues through Saturday.

In results late Thursday, Austin Staab and Alex Coville were a part of two winning relays, as the duo also finished 1-2 in the 50 free as well, to highlight the first day of competition. Overall the Cardinal won all five events on day one.

Staab and Coville led the field in the 50 freestyle with "B" standard times of 19.95 and 20.05, respectively, while the duo anchored the 400 medley relay, joining Eugene Godsoe and John Criste to post  a "B" standard time of 3:12.69. Coville and Staab, followed by David Dunford and Aaron Wayne also led the field in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:19.74.

In a close race in the 500, Chad La Tourette touched the wall just ahead of teammate David Mosko, as post posted times of 4:20.38, also a "B" standard time. The Cardinal dominated the 200 IM as freshman Matt Thompson led a group of four Cardinal swimmers with a "B" standard time of 1:48.46.


STANFORD WOMEN

Julia Smit and Betsy Webb both won individual events on Friday evening, leading the field at the Toshiba Cup. Smit had her second “A” standard time, posting the best 400 IM time of the meet, at 4:03.31, three seconds short of her school-record, while Webb won her second sprint in two days.

Smit also anchored the winning 800 free relay team as well, blowing away the meet-record by 12 seconds, as she along with Kelsey Ditto, Kate Dwelley and Sam Woodward posted a “B” standard time of 7:08.70, beating USC's 1993 record of 7:20.87. So far, Smit has now been a part of two winning relays and won both individual medleys.

Webb took the title in the 100 backstroke with a “B” standard time of 53.06. Webb, Kerry Kraemer, Elaine Breeden and Woodward won the 200 medley with a “B” standard time of 1:40.05. Webb has been a part of three winning relays over two days.

In addition, Woodward was second to Olympian Dana Vollmer in the 100 fly (52.65) with a time of 53.12, well under the "A" standard time of 59.99 and Dwelley was three-tenths of a second behind Vollmer in the 200 (1:45.02) with a time of 1:45.32.

The meet continues through Saturday.

In results late Thursday, the women swept through all five events with Julia Smit posting an “A” standard in her signature event, the 200 IM, and Kelsey Ditto setting a meet record in the 500.

Smit's time of 1:58.34, was three-tenths of a second in front of teammate Liz Smith (1:58.63), while Ditto and Dwelley led the field in the 500, with Ditto defeating her teammate by three seconds, 4:41.30 to 4:44.49. Ditto's mark of 4:41.30 broke UCLA's Natalie Norberg's 18-year old record of 4:44.27 in 1991.

Betsy Webb won the 50 free, ahead of teammate Sam Woodward with a time of 22.37, as Woodward's time of 22.73 was second. Both were “B” standard times.

In the 200 relay, Dwelley, Betsy Webb, Sam Woodward and Smit combined for a time of 1:29.22, two seconds ahead of Cal's relay team. Webb, Smith, Elaine Breeden and Dwelley also won the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:38.06. Both were “B” standard times.


UTAH

The Utah swimming and diving team continued to have the best times of their season this weekend at the Toshiba Classic. The Utes qualified swimmers in all events on the day, having two athletes finish in the top ten.
 
“We have seen some great swims today. The team continues to make a lot of improvements,” said head coach Greg Winslow. “They are taking the mentality that they have to go out and get it. We’re really excited about that.”
 
The Utes had three men qualify for the finals in two events on the second day of competition. Sophomores Eric Bonicelli (Overland Park, Kan.) and Eric Murray (Woodstock, GA) along with senior David Pursley (Edmonton, Canada) qualified for the 400 IM final heat, finishing 13th (4:04.64), 14th (4:05.34) and 15th (4:09.38), respectively. All times were season highs for the men.
 
In the 100 breast, senior John Baque (Olympia, Wash.) was 13th overall with a time of 57.36. Freshman Karson Applin (Houston, Texas) finished 15th in 57.52 and senior Garrett Peterson (Las Vegas, Nev.) was 20th in 58.56.
 
Applin also had the highest finish for the Utes so far this weekend, finishing eighth in the 100 fly in 50.14. Applin’s finish was also the highest for a Mountain West Conference athlete in the event.
 
Freshman Bryan Michaels (Shoreline, Wash.) and Murray finished 24th and 32nd, respectively, in the 200 free with times of 1:43.21 and 1:44.98. Sophomore Major Robinson (Missoula, Mont.) had the second-highest finish for the Utah men, finishing 11th overall in the 100 back with his time of 52.10. Freshman Austin Fiascone (Hinsdale, Ill.) also was in the finals in the 100 back, finishing 26th with a time of 54.10.
 
The Ute relay teams both finished in seventh on the day. The 200 medley relay team of Robinson, Baque, Applin and Bjorn Gunnarsson (Norrkoping, Sweden) finished in 1:34.42 and the 800 free relay team of Michaels, Pursley, Ryan Hansen (Schroeder, Wis.) and Bonicelli finished in 6:55.80.
 
“Having three guys in the finals heat is awesome for the men,” said Winslow. “It is fun to see those guys get up and take pride in their race.”
 
The Utah women also had three women qualify for the final heat in the 400 IM. Junior Maiya Otsuka (Littleton, Colo.) had the highest finish for the Utes in 17th with a time of 4:27.87. Behind her was freshman Kayla Buck (Folsom, Calif.) in 23rd with a time of 4:34.70 and senior Kristina Helmers (Pennington, N.J.) was 26th with a time of 4:32.95.
 
“Kayla Buck got a great 400 IM today,” said Winslow. “Her time was in the Utah all-time top 10”
 
The highest individual placer for the woman was sophomore Hannah Caron (Raleigh, N.C.). Caron finished the 100 fly in 54.94, placing higher than any other MWC athlete, and finishing ninth overall.
 
The Utah 800 free relay team of Caron, Natalie Edge (South Jordan, Utah), Kristina Evans (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Annie VanLeeuwen (West Valley City, Utah) finished sixth overall with a time 7:33.05. VanLeeuwen also finished 18th in the 100 breast with a time of 1:05.42.
 
Edge also had a individual finish in the 200 free, getting a time of 1:53.52, putting her in 26th place overall. Senior Beth Gunderson (Portland, Ore.) was the final individual finisher for the Utes, getting 30th in the 100 back with her time of 58.46.
 
The 200 medley relay team of Gunderson, VanLeeuwen, Caron and Evans had 10th-place finish with their time of 1:46.28.
 
“All in all, it was a really good day,” said Winslow. “I’m excited to see how we put the whole season together.”
 
The Toshiba Classic continues tomorrow in Long Beach, Calif. at the Belmont Plaza Olympic pool.
 
“The team is fired up about this last day,” said Winslow. “We’re pleased with the results and we’re excited to see what tomorrow brings.”